PORT ANGELES — A troupe of thespians from the Peninsula College Drama Department will explore the intrinsic depravity of a group of pirates this week during the opening of “The Sea Is a Restless Whore.”
The play will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Metta Room, 132 Front St.
Encore presentations will be at the same time Thursday and Nov. 16-17.
The Metta Room is a 21-and-older venue. Tickets for the production are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Advance tickets are available at the Bookaneer bookstore at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. The bookstore is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
One-act comedy
The one-act musical comedy — written by Brian Boone and directed by Lara Starcevich — features five buccaneers, each harboring a dirty little secret revealed through song and dance while they sail the high seas.
The cast members are Steven Canepa, Mark Valentine, Richard Stephens, Marissa LeeAnn Rose Wilson, Jonas Brown, Fred Robinson, Laci Trussell and Brianna Miles.
Kristen Quigley Brye is the musical director, with music by Gabe Dickinson.
Starcevich said audience participation will be welcome during the production.
“We’re breaking the fourth wall with our production,” she said. “We encourage our audiences to dress like pirates and invite them to participate as our band of pirates reveal their secrets in song and swagger.”
Starcevich said she was inspired to put on this play after seeing it in Colorado.
“I stumbled upon this marvelous play at a comedy club while attending last year’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Denver,” Starcevich said.
“It was a stellar evening of wit, mayhem and truly original thinking on many politically incorrect and taboo subjects — even for our culture, which has pretty much seen and heard it all on YouTube and on televised debates.”
Club-like feel
Starcevich said she decided to move the production from the Peninsula College campus to a downtown venue to re-create the club-like feel of the production and bring the college to the community.
“We’re excited to produce the Northwest premiere of this antic, rollicking comedy and to partner with The Metta Room to show that theater can happen anywhere,” she said.
Cory Darling, manager of The Metta Room, said he was eager to host the play.
“I jumped at the opportunity to partner with the college to put ‘The Sea Is a Restless Whore’ on our stage,” he said.
“I grew up in Port Angeles and left because there wasn’t enough to do. I returned to PA and, after awhile, decided I could make [a] difference by helping to create a downtown community where things happen,” Darling said.
”This production is exactly the kind of entertainment I think our community is looking for.”
Officials with the Port Angeles Downtown Association said they are pleased the production is located in the downtown area.
“This production shows how downtown Port Angeles continues to grow as the art center for our local community — a place where patrons can dine out before catching a show within walking distance,” said Stephens, Port Angeles Downtown Association acting administrator.
“We are thrilled to have Peninsula College be a part of this exciting transformation.”
For more, visit www.themetta room.com.
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Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
